In this lesson plan designed for fourth graders, students learn about parts of a sentence through movement exercises.
Introduction
Class expectations (Good listening, following directions, be creative, be active), Space boundaries, personal boundaries, goals for class today
Warm-Up
Introduce the word accumulation. Ask students the meaning? Use this word in warm-up. Introduce one movement, for example tapping feet, then add shaking hands, then add flapping elbows, then add a bobbing head. Students are doing all 4 movements at the same time. Then begin to take away one of the movements, then another, then another until they are back to the very first motion. Repeat a few times using different movements, other body parts, with locomotor movements traveling through the room, with different levels, etc. Ask students for their ideas too!
Investigate
Show students the different types of word cards. Have them give a definition of each type. For example, what is an adverb, what is its job in a sentence? Give them an opportunity to move an ad- verb. Walk slowly, walk courageously, etc. Same with some of the other cards. Then have a student randomly select one card from each pile. Take the cards and create a “sentence” with the cards. This will be a nonsense sentence, but place the cards in their correct place in the sentence. Then all together begin to move each part of the sentence. How can the body show each part from beginning to end, almost like charades. Ask students to exaggerate the movements, use their whole bodies, travel, use levels, etc.
Create
Divide students into smaller groups. Have each groups draw cards from the piles. Create their own movement sentences! Give students 3-4 minutes to work.
Reflect
Have students perform their sentences and see if the audience can figure out what the sentence is saying.
